Duties, demystified
When goods enter the United States, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) may charge import duty based on two things: the product category (its HS code) and the declared value. Rates vary enormously — many electronics enter duty-free, while apparel can run into the high teens as a percentage of value. Add the surtaxes introduced by recent trade measures and the total bite on a typical French fashion order is real money, not a rounding error.
For years, most shoppers never noticed, because of one magic threshold. That threshold is gone.
De minimis is over — and it changes everything
Until recently, the de minimis rule let shipments under $800 enter the US duty-free. Practically every forwarded package sailed through untaxed. That exemption has been eliminated: today, shipments of any value are subject to duties. There is no "under the radar" anymore — a €60 skincare order is dutiable just like a €600 handbag.
This is the single biggest change in cross-border shopping in a decade, and it split the forwarding market in two:
- Forwarders that quote shipping only, and let the courier bill you duties (plus a "disbursement fee" for the privilege) at your door.
- Forwarders that quote everything up front.
We're in the second camp, and we think everyone should be. For the full deep-dive — rates by category, worked examples, how surtaxes stack — see our complete customs guide.
What is DDP, exactly?
DDP stands for Delivered Duty Paid. It means duties and taxes are calculated and paid before the package flies, so it clears customs without anyone chasing you for money on delivery.
The alternative — DDU/DAP, Delivered Duty Unpaid — is how surprise bills happen: FedEx or UPS pays customs on your behalf, then invoices you the duty plus a brokerage fee of $10–20. Your "cheap" shipping quote just grew by 30–50%, after the fact, when you can no longer say no.
Every VoilaShip quote is DDP: the estimate is computed from your declared value and category and baked into the single price you see in the calculator. If our estimate is off, that's our problem, not yours.
Why declaring accurately matters
It's tempting to fudge the declared value downward. Don't — and not just because it's illegal:
- CBP checks. Under-declared parcels get flagged, reassessed, delayed for weeks, and can be seized. Penalties fall on the importer — that's you.
- Insurance follows declaration. If a $300 bag is declared at $50, $50 is what a claim pays out.
- It doesn't even help anymore. With de minimis gone, small values are taxed too; shaving €20 off a declaration saves cents and risks the whole package.
Declare the real price you paid, pick the right category, and let the math be boring. We generate the commercial invoice automatically from your declarations, in the exact format FedEx and CBP expect.
What you'll actually pay: three examples
Estimates at current rates, included in your quote up front:
- €80 French pharmacy order (City Pharma cleansers and SPF, ~1 kg): cosmetics duty adds roughly $12–18.
- €150 Sézane knitwear order (~1 kg): apparel sits in the higher bands — think $25–40.
- €250 Polène bag (~1.2 kg): leather goods land around $40–60.
Numbers move with trade policy — the calculator always reflects the current estimate, and it's free to check before you buy anything.
The VoilaShip way
One all-in price: FedEx express transport + estimated US duties + nothing else. No subscription, no handling fee, no brokerage surprise, no second invoice. Shop any French store, see the real total in five seconds, and the price you see is the price you pay. Voilà.